


The search of the grey dragon

by Pacobengal6



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Family, M/M, Slow Romance, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 10:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25469476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pacobengal6/pseuds/Pacobengal6
Summary: Zuko try to give Azula another chance and with her help to find their mother, Ursa.Azula on the other hand just want to run from her old self and to confront her mother, which is not that different from her daughter. Eventually Azula will learn that her mother is the person who will understand her the most.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Azula/Sokka (Avatar), Suki/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello hello! This is my second fanfiction, the first one was a mistake so I gave up on it. Some time ago I thought it was a good idea to rewrite "The search" comic from The Last Airbender series but in my style. I don't know if it will be a good story, especially because of my bad grammar since english is not my first language, but I hope it will not be that bad.
> 
> Characters age:
> 
> Zuko, Sokka-22 years old
> 
> Suki, Mai-21 years old
> 
> Azula, Katara, Ty Lee-20 years old
> 
> Aang, Toph-18 years old
> 
> Couples:
> 
> Sokka/Azula; Zuko/Suki; Aang/Katara
> 
> I usually listen to music when I read so if you want to listen something, I think the soundtracks from The Last Samurai will be a good choice.

Zuko opened his eyes, founding himself in a dark and cold hallway. He was standing in front of a cell, refusing to look inside. His eyes were fixed on the ground thinking if it wise to do this, if it is a good idea. Worry started to press his heart, not because he will be facing his dad but because he didn't know in wich condition Azula is. After the breakdown that his sister had a couple of years back, he couldn't see her like that ever again. A sigh left his lips as he decided to look between bars, taking a look at his sister's back.

"They didn't talk with each other, right?" Zuko said with a small voice but he could tell that Azula heard him by the position of her back, that now was straight.

"I didn't heard a single sound." Suki appeared behind Zuko's shoulder, looking inside the cell.

"I expected that this will happen." He seemed hopeless and tired. This made Suki to look at the Fire Lord worried, she knew how little he slept in the last few days. "Give me the tray." He said it more like a whisper.

"Are you sure you want to do...this?" Suki asked looking again at the fallen princess and at the dark silhouette of Ozai.

Zuko looked down at her and smiled softly.

"Well, I have you both with me, right?" He looked back at Ty Lee who was as worried as Suki. "Nothing bad is gonna happen." With all this said, Zuko took the tray from Suki and waited for her to open the door.

Beyond the creaking of the old door a cold look of his father and the stiff back oh his sister awaited him. The voice of Azula stopped him.

"My my, if it's not the most honorable person from our nation." Zuko knew that Azula was smiling without seeing her face. "How did you decide to pay me a visit?" This time Azula looked up at her brother.

Zuko cleared his throat.

"You are still my family." He looked down at Azula to see her reaction. All she did was to laugh.

"What a beautiful lie." She whispered looking at her father, who was watching her with a cold look. Not long time ago, Azula thought that her father was her family, but she was so wrong, for him she was just a failure, exactly like Zuko.

The Fire Lord turned his gaze towards Ozai too and he was surprised to see that his father was looking at him. He had a warm smile almost loving, but he knew that it was a mask. Azula on the other hand didn't know this, all she saw was a loving smile towards her brother.

"Zuko!" His father laughed. "I can't believe I say this, but I am proud of you. You became the Fire Lord while other rot in here... right, Azula?" At this words Azula just looked at the ground shocked, now her back bending.

Zuko's eyes were wide open when he heard his dad's words. He looked down at his sister who was in a deplorable state. Zuko looked at the Kyoshi Warrior and she understood what she need to do. She took Azula outside and closed the door of the cell. The last thing that Azula heard was her dad's laugh.

"What the hell!?" Zuko yelled at him. "What the fuck are you doing?" He couldn't hide his anger. Even if he knew that his dad tried to turn Azula against him, he couldn't help but to ask.

A big smile appeared on the father's face. "I just try to show Azula how a true lord looks like." He said smiling like proudly.

"Do not dare to think that I'll take this bullshit in serious." Zuko watched his father from above. "After all, the person who will rot in here is you." A superior smile was reflected in Ozai's eyes.

Zuko left the institution and then he saw Suki and Ty Lee watching Azula who was in her weelchair.

"Everything is alright?" Suki asked Zuko. The worried tone in the girl's voice made Azula to rise an eyebrow. Since when this girl cared this much about her brother?

The Fire Lord answered with a nod and the warrior sigh in relief. Zuko lowered his gaze and looked at the princess. Now the confusing and hurt look on her face was replaced with one of superiority.

"Suki!" There was no need for more words she understood what Zuko wanted.

"Are you sure?" She asked placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder, this move being seen by Azula's suspicious gaze.

The answear that Zuko gave was a soft smile, which made Suki to nod and finally to leave. Before following her friend, Ty Lee threw a sad gaze at Azula. As soon as she realized that the princess was looking at her, she turned around and left as soon as posible. She didn't knew why but this made Azula sad and guilty. The movement of the weelchair get her out from the dark thoughts.

For the first time the silence between the two siblings was awkward, even for Azula so she decided to say something.

"Even if I love to not hear your voice, the curiosity is pushing me to ask...what do you want from me?" The coldness in Azula's voice made Zuko to flinch, he didn't expected Azula to ask him this.

"Father didn't told you?"

Azula rolled her eyes.

"We didn't speak, at all." It was heartbreaking for Azula to say it aloud. Ozai was the single person on the earth that she loved to talk to, and now, when her father decided to ignore her, she was truly alone.

Zuko lowered his gaze towards his down sister who just looked ahead.

"I want you to come with me, to find our mother"

Azula was shocked, she was speechless.

"We both deserve to see her again, even if it is for the last time." Sadness took over Zuko's voice. Unfortunately the Princess misunderstood the intentions of her brother.

"Don't lie to me." She spat through her teeth.

"What?"

"You just want a weapon, a puppet to control to do your dirty job." Azula yelled the words angrily, this shocked Zuko.

"What!? No. Azula what are you..." A lighting stopped him from finishing the sentence. He answered with a ball of fire, which Azula used it as an oportunity to free her legs. When she felt the chains falling, she started running with all the strenght she had. Zuko cursed himself and ran after her. Even if she was a small person she was pretty fast for Zuko to catch.

Azula never ran faster than now, the hallway seemed so long and the exit so far. She could feel her legs weaker and weaker and the breath heavier but, she need to get out of here and she know it. Out of nowhere she felt her body being shoved into the wall. She opened her eyes with difficulty. The first person she saw was Zuko.

"Azula, what the hell!" The girl looked at her brother with a dangerous look. "I just try to create a new begining for us, as a family."

This made Azula to laugh.

"We will never be a family." A moment a silence covered the two siblings.

"I think otherwise." Zuko wishpered. "I just want to give you a chance."

"Why?"

"Because you are my sister." Azula felt the affection from her brother voice, but the next sentence shocked her. "Because I care about you." She looked at her brother with wide eyes. "I just try to give us a new chance. It will be hard, I know it, but not imposible."

Azula's sigh killed the atmosphere.

"I'll help you, just cut the bullshit." The motion of her rolling her eyes didn't bothered Zuko, the strange thing was that this made him smile. He let go of Azula's shoulders and looked at her. "But with a condition. She continued. After we will find Ursa, you will let me leave, permanently, you will not try to find me, you will forget that I exist and I will forget that you exist."

This caught Zuko off guard, he was sure that this was one of Azula's strategy moves, he knew that his sister want the throne, he knew that he was crazy for giving her another chance, on the other hand he knew that he didn't want Azula to leave, after all she was still his sister. This time he will let it slide, they will talk about this later.

"Alright then, I have a condition too." The sound of steps made him to look over his shoulder. Two guards ran after them. "But we will talk about this later."

The guard tried to take Azula but Zuko stopped them.

"Please, take her to her room. She needs a good rest." One of the guards bowed with respect and then escorted the princess to her room.

Zuko watched his sister's silhouette disappearing in the dark of the hallway. His smile was replaced with an expresion of worry. There was no place for lies, for now he can't trust his sister, but he will try, he must to try.

Azula looked behind her shoulder and the only thing she saw was Zuko's back getting further and further.

A young Ursa was standing in front of her mirror looking at her face. It was visible in her light brown orbs that sadness overwhelmed her. She could see with the corner of her eyes Ozai's silhouette watching her. Ursa didn't flinch or react in any way, the man behind her was not real, she know it, so she will just stare at her expression until the hallucination will leave. Ozai silhouette transformed into Ikem, and Ursa tried to avoid his gaze, even tho she knew it wasn't real, she still couldn't look at him, without feeling guilty. How will she marry a man thet she doesn't love, a man that wasn't Ikem. Her eyes lingered on her fingers remembering Ikem's touch and his propose from the morning. The woman closed her eyes and let the tears to flow, at the same time she covered her mouth so that her pain to not be heard by her family.

After the tears stopped to fall she opened her eyes. The hallucination wasn't there anymore so she looked again at her reflection. The girl in front of her it wasn't Ursa. The eyes were too tired and sad to be Ursa's. She lowered her gaze towards the comb. She grabbed it and started to brush her hair. The eyes moved again towards the mirror. A frown appeared on Azula's face, she hated her image, with each passing day she looked more and more like her mother. She put the comb back on the nightstand.

A memory made her to jump off the chair. She rushed to the door and tried to open it carefully. She looked from right to left, shocked that nobody watched her room. "I can't believe Zuko is not even capable to find some decent guards" Azula thought amused. She walked elegantly down the dark hallway until she reached a painting with the Fire Nation symbol. She looked around and then touched the painting until it was warm enough to open. Behind this painting it was a tunnel that lead her to a secret chamber. The room where Azula entered it was full of books, jewelry, armours, masks and different pictures.

She approached a small window from where Azula looked at her Nation with a small smile. She loved her people but she knew that her own Nation despise her now. A chest caught her attention, as soon as she saw it curiosity took over her. Some time ago her father told her that he had a reason to not let Zuko on the throne. All of his reasons were hidden in a secret room, he said. A big part of her life she spend it trying to find "these reasons". The royal family had a tons of secret rooms and Azula was in all of them, this was the single one she omitted. The day she finally decided to investigate this room was in the day of her final Agni Kai, the day she lost herself.

The princess knelt in front of it and opened the chest, wich was full of clothes, a book and two dragon masks, one of them was grey and the other one was red with some white hair. She took the red one and looked enchanted at it for a few seconds. She touched the white hair and to her surprise it was soft and pleasant to the touch. She put down the mask, and the next thing she saw was a bunch of letters. Azula took a few of them and read between the lines. Her eyes begin to fill with tears, she understood why her dad didn't want Zuko on the throne but most important she finally understood why Zuko was Ursa's only child.


	2. The beginning of blossom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hi.  
> The song you can listen to:  
> Twelve Titans - Who will remember me  
> Mako's sacrifice  
> The Last Samurai - A Way of Life  
> If you spot a mistake, please, hit me up:))))

Chapter II

The beginning of blossom

Zuko was at his office holding a letter in his hand, it was from Aang. Three days ago he sent a letter to the Avatar, asking for his help. He knew that it will not be a good idea to travel just him and Azula, it was wiser to have his friend with him too. He closed his eyes when the thoughts flew towards Ozai's words.  
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"I know that you know where she is" Zuko said as he looked down at his father.

Ozai lowered his head, closing his eyes, and smiled.

"I might have an idea" He looked at his son now. "But since Azula will be released from this place, maybe she could help you."

"Azula?" He become more and more confused. "She knows where mother is?"

"I can't guarantee this, but she knows where she can find some clues"

Zuko looked at his father with a suspicious look.

"Why do you help us?"

"Help you?" Ozai asked amused. "I just tell you this because, I know that you will find nothing, all you're gonna find are just shadows, shadows from your childhood." Now Ozai looked at him with a superior smile. "You are just fooling yourself, Zuko."  
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Father's words were still in his head, he was still hearing them. He put his elbows on the table, resting his head on his palms. Was Ozai right about his mother? Will he be able to find her or it will be too late? Zuko punched the desk in anger. How could he let father's words reach to him. Even in prison, Ozai had the power to play with his mind. Zuko looked around then screamed, throwing the papers off the desk. He rested his head in his hands again when the words of his father were still alive in his mind. Why do he always let him win?  
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Azula left the secret room and headed for hers. Her mind full of questions. The presence of a mirror on the wall made her to stop. She studied her reflection, touching her hair, while her mother's words echoed in her ears. "You always had a beautiful hair." Azula looked up and saw a very old painting. She didn't saw it since her mother disappeared. It was a painting of Ursa, at her right was a young Zuko and in her lap was Azula, at that time being just a baby. The princess raised her hand to read the letter and then she looked at the painting again. She closed her eyes, thinking at how many lies were there. She opened her eyes and looked around, she saw how the old painting with Ozai, Azulon or Sozin had been replaced with paintings of her, Zuko, Ursa or even her uncle.

Even the hallway was different now, there were flowers everywhere. A strange feeling came over her, when she realized that she preferred the flowers instead the fire. There was something about the night wind, which brought the perfume of flowers at Azula nose. The way the warm wind felt on her skin. Made her to feel peaceful.

Her eyes stopped on a painting with Zuko and her, when they were just kids. She shook her head when the feelings of nostalgia took over her. Even this place was different now, she didn't want to stay here, she hated everything about it, it was like she no longer belonged here. And she was right, Zuko wanted his sister back, he wanted that sister that died a long time ago, with the disappearance of their mother.

Azula put the letter in her boot and headed for her room. Once in front of the door, she wanted to open it but a man caught her attention. When she looked at him, she saw that it was a guard. The man stared at the princess in shock. He had a Dorayaki in his hand and one in his mouth, which fell on the floor when he saw Azula. Another guard appeared behind the man, with the same expression of shock. To their relief, Azula entered the room without saying a word. The first guard turned to look at the other man.

"I told you to stay here, in case the Princess will leave the room."

"Oh, I am sorry buddy but I had to go to the bathroom." Said the man. He looked at his colleague's hand and saw the Dorayaki, then he saw the other one on the floor. " Oh maaan." He bent down taking a bite, while the other guard looked at him with disgust.  
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Suki entered in Zuko's office when he didn't respond when the girl knocked at the door. As soon as she had stepped in the room, the view nearly made her to gasp. Sheets of paper and scrolls were everywhere in the room. What happen last night? She closed the door behind her and began to gather them and as soon as she finished, she approached Zuko and put them on the desk. The fact that it was already morning and she didn't saw Zuko, made her to come to see if the Fire Lord was alright, and she was happy for doing so. Zuko was sleeping on his chair, with his head facing the ceiling and with his mouth open. When she looked at him better, the need to laugh appeared so she covered her mouth with her hands. But that smile was replaced by worry, something happend last night. She knew that Azula was responsible for this. How she wanted to go to her room, to teach her a lesson. Suki knew that as soon Azula will be released, she will reate problems. But now, it wasn't time for this. She needed to wake Zuko up, Aang will arrive soon.

Zuko flinched when Suki squeezed his nose. The girl stepped back, laughing while Zuko grabbed his nose.

"Good morning!" Said the warrior with a sweet smile.

Zuko lowered his arms and looked at Suki's beautiful smile. Seeing her like that, brought a smile on his face too. "What was that for?" He asked raising an eyebrow still smiling at her.

"The sun is already up, and you weren't awake... I just wanted to see if everything is alright."

The events from the last night came back to him. He looked around and then at the desk, the papers and the scrolls were in front of him. He raised his eyes, looking at Suki.

Suki saw how Zuko stared at her with guilt in his eyes.

"Oh, this?" She asked pointing at the papers. "It was nothing, don't worry." She laughed nervous.

Zuko reached out for her hand, this gest surprising the girl.

"Thank you...for everything." He glared up at Suki, smiling again.

"Don't need to thank me, you idiot." She smiled as he punched his arm. "This is what friends do." Suki blushed when the words came out of her mouth. Oh, how thankful she was that she wear makeup.

The Fire Lord got up from his chair, he put a hand on Suki's shoulder, smiling at her and then went towards the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see Azula. She wore a red robe, that barely touched her knees, under that robe she wore a black shirt with bell sleeves, which was decorated with blue models, just like the collar. Her pants were also black, and the boots were red as the robe. In the waist she wore a wide skin belt, with Fire Nation symbol. Her hair was not in a bun anymore, now it was loose, and she had a ponytail, which it was caught with a red ribbon.

"What happen?" Asked Suki looking over Zuko's shoulder. "Oh."

"Good morning!" Said Azula passing them and sitting on her brother's chair. "You said you wanted to talk with me, about a condition?" The Princess' superiority annoyed Suki.

"Just who do you think you..." She wanted to get closer to Azula, but Zuko stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"Leave us alone." Said Zuko looking at Azula, who stared at them with a proud smirk.

"But..."

Zuko looked at Suki now.

"Everything will be fine." Suki frowned as she turned her gaze towards the princess. "Fine." With all this said, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Since when do you two have such a beautiful friendship?" She asked her brother while she grabbed a scroll and studied it. "That tall boy knows how close you two are?" Azula lowered the scroll and looked at her brother with a long smile.

"We are just friends." He frowned as he watched Azula, who returned to study that scroll. "About my condition." This made Azula to move her attention at her brother. "Father said that you might have an idea where mother is, or at least you know where we can find some clues."

"Oh" Azula put the scroll down, and put her hands on the desk, crossing her fingers. "Is that so?"

Zuko just nodded, not knowing what to say. Azula on the other hand just smiled and get up. She reached her left boot and took out a letter, the important one was on the right, leaving it there. Zuko frowned when he saw what his sister did. She approached him and gave him the letter with a superior smile and a raised brow.

"Here is everything you need to know." Zuko take the letter a little confused. Is that it? She will just give him the letter that easy? He didn't open the it, still looking suspicious at his sister.

"You will give this to me, like that?"

Zuko question made Azula to frown but the sound of the door broke the conversation between the siblings. Iroh greeted them with a long smile as soon as he entered the room.

"Zuko, your friends are here." Iroh turned his gaze towards his niece now, giving her a smile too. Azula didn't return the smile she just walked past him, without an expression. Her uncle felt the girl's dangerous eyes on him, but he ignored it. Iroh's smile vanished as soon as Azula left them two alone.

"I've never missed this kind of behavior." He said shaking hid head disappointed.

Zuko didn't heard what his uncle said, he was just staring confused at the door.  
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Suki entered in the principal hall of the palace when she heard a familiar voice.

"Suki!" Sokka ran up to Suki, hugging her. Suki hugged him back as she laughed softly.

The next thing Sokka saw, made him to let go of his girlfriend. The people in front of him were Zuko and... Azula?

"Zuko, be careful!" Shouted Katara getting ready for a fight.

Sokka tried to reach for his boomerang but Suki stopped him, making the boy to focus on Suki now, who shook her head.

"Katara, stop, please. She is here because..." Zuko looked at his friends which were very confused, but at the same time ready for an attack from Azula. "She'll come with us."

"What!?" Sokka yelled in disbelief. " Please tell me that this is some of your bad and stupid jokes, because I am not ready to take this as a reality."

Zuko just looked at Sokka with a straight face.

"I am sorry Zuko, but I think this is a bad plan." Aang tried to not be rude but Katara frowned while she was looking between the royal siblings.

"What are you even talking about Zuko! She can't come with us!" The rage was present in the waterbender voice.

Zuko frowned when he looked at Katara.

"Why not?" His question made everyone to look at him in shock, even Azula.

"You already know the answer, she is dangerous." Sokka looked at Azula with hate, while the Princess looked in his direction but not at him, still shocked at his brother reaction.

"Maybe it was a better idea to not come here, at all." Said Toph crossing her arms.

"We are going to search for our mother. Ursa is Azula's mother too." Zuko glared at his friends who were still looking at him in disbelief. " I thought this world was about a new chance, a new life, at least this is what I learned from you all. But maybe...maybe I was just wrong. Maybe you don't think that she needs another chance, but I do." Azula listened all of it, looking down, with red eyes, trying to not let her tears to fall. "She'll come with us." When he finished to talk, he just turned around, wanting to leave the room when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Aang, smiling at him.

"Even if I still think that this is a bad idea, I understand." Aang said, smiling warmly at Azula now, who just frowned at him.

"Aang, what are you even saying? We are talking about Azula here." Sokka said and Suki tried to stop him. "Please, don't tell me you are on Zuko's side." He looked at Suki now. She just lowered her head, making Sokka to look at his girlfriend with wide eyes.

"Guys, Zuko is right, Azula deserve to see her mother again. We gave Zuko a chance, right? Why can't we do the same with Azula?" Aang asked his friends.

"This is not the same." Sokka whispered, but Katara heard him.

"I can't Aang, this is too much." said Katara.

"Katara, please." Aang was desperate now and Azula saw that. Why did he try to help her?

"She actually killed you, Aang." Sokka was angry now.

"Well Zuko sent an assassin after us." Everyone looked at Toph now. "I am sorry, but I am with Twinkletoes. If the guy who followed us around the world, burned a village and sent an assassin after us, can change, well the crazy Princess can too"

"Why you..." Katara whispered angrily. "Fine, I will try...to give her a chance." Hearing this from Katara, made Aang to smile.

"Thank you." Said Aang thankful. "Let's get ready. We have a long ride ahead."

'Well nobody asked me what do I think." Said Sokka throwing his hands on air.

Aang left the room, followed by Sokka, Suki and Toph. Katara however, stopped in front of the Princess.

"Try to not to do something stupid. I beat you once, I can do it again." Katara spitted the words with hate. All what Azula did was to look at the girl with a malicious smile, even if her words brought unpleasant memories.

Zuko approached Azula as soon as Katara left the room.

"Are you ok?"

"Why?" Asked Azula not looking at her brother.

"What?"

"Why did you do it?"

Zuko understood what his sister was talking about, so he gave her an answer that came from his heart. "Because you are my sister." The crack in his voice made everything harder for Azula to take.

All she did was to laugh, and to avoid Zuko's gaze, but he knew that it was a laugh full of sadness. Her teary eyes showed it. She looked at Zuko for the last time, and then turned around leaving the room, before her tears will fall.

Zuko was now left alone in this big room, alone with his thoughts.  
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Azula was in her room, taking her bag. Why she didn't say anything? Why all she did was to listen? Why she felt overwhelmed by some peasants? Why her hands were shaking? Was it because of fear? Because of anger? She just didn't know, there were so many emotions in her heart.

Azula headed for the door and when she wanted to put her hand on the doorknob, she closed her eyes. She still couldn't believe what Zuko did. She shook hear head when she felt the tears in the corners of her eyes. She opened the door, letting the light of morning cover her.

When Azula entered in the principal garden she saw Avatar's group of friends. They seemed so happy, they smiled at each other, laughing and talking. Her mind flew towards the times when she was playing in this garden with Mai and Ty Lee. The laugh and the voices of her old friends echoed in her mind and heart. A nostalgic smile appeared on her lips, but her memories flew far away when she heard a growl. The Princess looked at her left and saw Avatar's giant cow. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"Easy buddy." Aang tried to calm him. " Maybe he doesn't like you that much, but he will accept you, he just needs a little time." Aang smiled at her.

"I don't care what your animal thinks about me." Said Azula with a straight face, making Aang to look at her with a sad expressions. He knew that it will take some time for her to change or maybe to be a little nicer to them, but he trusted her, he knew that Azula was a strong person that will fight with everyone, even with herself.

Zuko watched the interaction between his sister and the Avatar with worry. He turned when a hand touched his shoulder. It was Suki with a warm smile.

"Are you ok?"

"For now." He said smiling. "But I hope I didn't made a mistake." He looked again at his sister, who isolated herself from the others.

"Maybe I don't really like your sister, but everyone deserve to blossom, right? Maybe you are the sun that will help her to blossom." She said looking at Azula too.

Zuko looked at the warrior, she was so right. He did blossom, a long time ago, with a lot of help and love. Things that for Azula didn't exist but, he will try to change that.

Sokka watched Zuko and Suki, even if he knew that these two were just friends, he still felt something strange. Sokka turned around to search for Aang when his eyes met Azula's. All he did was to frown at her and then to pass the Princess. Azula was still following him with her eyes, until the tall boy was next to the Avatar. She then looked at her brother and Sokka's girlfriend. They seemed so happy together. She sighed and picked up her bag.

Azula was heading to Appa, when in front of her appeared Ty Lee. Azula tried to recognize the emotions on her face. Was it hope, disappointment, sadness? She didn't know. Since Mai and Ty Lee betrayed her, she just couldn't trust her abilities of reading people anymore, that quality was now gone.

"Hey Azula! I just wanted to..." Ty Lee tried to start a conversation, but Azula just passed her, without a word, without even a glance. This made Ty Lee to bite her lip and to lower her head, looking at the ground with teary eyes. She wasn't the only one who was feeling hurt, Azula's heart was full of feelings of guilt, but she knew that she needed to trow them away. She can't be weak again.

Once on Appa, the Princess watched how her uncle hugging Zuko with love. She never understood why he didn't treat her like Zuko. She also didn't understood why this hurt so much. When Iroh looked at his niece, Azula just turned her gaze, ignoring him.

"Remember dear nephew, even the darkest person, have a source of light, that can be in the heart, mind, or in the both." Iroh smiled at Zuko.

Zuko nodded and turned to Suki, hugging her too. Sokka looked at that hug with a bad heart. He was already on Appa. He wanted to say goodbye to Suki, but she was busy staying with Zuko, so he let her be. When the Fire Lord got up on Appa, Azula could see the tension between her brother and Sokka.

The moment when Appa started to raise to the sky, Azula couldn't lie, it was beautiful. It was a pleasant feeling to be above the earth, to feel the air through the hair, it was almost like a lovely touch. For the first time in many years, she felt free. Even if her expression didn't show it, she loved it up here. Azula looked down at her uncle, Ty Lee and Suki. Sokka did the same, but he was looking just at Suki, who waved at him, he waved back at her, until her figure disappeared. He now looked at Zuko with a frown.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Now Zuko started to get angry.

The fact that Sokka felt eyes on him, made him to turn around to face Azula, who looked at them amused.

"Did she really has to come too?"

"The person we are looking for is her mother too, Sokka." Said Zuko crossing his arms.

"I know you wanted to have your girlfriend with you instead of me, but you need to adapt, savage."

"Can you not talk about Suki?"

"Can you both just stop?" Zuko yelled at them angrily.

Sokka rolled his eyes, and turned to Aang and Katara. The image of them kissing made Sokka to turn again, Azula's eyes still on him.

"This will be an interesting trip, I can't lie." Said Toph lying down.

Azula stopped listening the people around her and started to admire the environment.  
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The light of the day transformed into a black curtain of the night. Ursa left the house, and made her way to a dark alley, where a tall silhouette waited for her.

"Ikem." She said suppressed by pain.

The silhouette stept forward and particle of the moonlight fell on his face. His yellow eyes looking down at hers.

"Tomorrow, I..."

"I know." Said Ikem with sadness in his eyes and voice. He then lowered his head.

"You do?"

Ikem nodded. "I do. But everything it will be fine." Ursa just shook her head, tears falling from her eyes. "We just can run, now, together."

"No Ikem."

"Why not? You will not just marry a man you don't know, right?" His voice started to crack, when he felt that he couldn't breath. "What about us?" This time the tears streaming down his face.

"I am sorry, but I don't have a choice." Ursa turned her back, wanting to go but Ikem's voice made her to stop.

"What about your destiny? About what Roku told you? You can't just give up on that."

Without a word, Ursa left him alone in the dark alley, watching her thin silhouette disappearing. The tears appeared again and she closed her eyes, leaving them to fall.  
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When the eyes opened, Zuko saw that they were still flying. He fell asleep, tired because of the last days. He looked around him and saw Sokka and Toph, both of them sleeping. He then looked at Azula. Her arms were crossed, her back straight, and her eyes on the landscape. He knew that she enjoyed the view, even if she tried to hide it, this time her eyes betrayed her.

Zuko smiled, seeing his sister calm even for a second, made him...happy.

Azula followed with the corner of her eyes how Zuko came closer to her. When she saw that her brother was looking at her, she returned to watch the view again.

"I have to admit, I am really proud that you didn't attacked anyone so far." He said smiling at her.

Azula adjusted her position, still not looking at her brother.

"I thought you knew that I don't need this circus right now."

" I know this, but I can't lie and say that I wasn't nervous." Zuko stopped when he saw Azula rolling her eyes. "It's still hard to believe in you..."

"You don't need to tell me something that I already know." Azula started to get annoyed now.

"It will take some time but..."

"I said that I already know this. You don't need to tell me a million times to get it." Azula responded him with a louder tone, this time her attention was on him.

Zuko looked at his sister shocked, he didn't expected her to get mad that easily.

"Is everything alright there?" Asked Aang, looking at the two siblings. Katara turned too, frowning at the Princess.

Zuko just nodded, making Aang to smile and to turn again, Katara on the other hand glared at the Princess for a few seconds and then turned her back to them.

Zuko lowered his head.

"Sorry Azula, I just don't know how to do it." This made the Princess to eye Zuko with confusion. "I don't know how to be a brother, and I am sorry for this."

The sincerity in Zuko's voice made Azula to open her mouth, but not a word came out.

"Guys, I am sure you want to see this." Aang's voice made the two siblings to frown. They looked over the saddle when a smoke caught their attention. Sokka and Toph appeared behind them. Their sleepy faces were replaced with ones of shock. It was village.

When Appa touched the ground, all of them get down. What was in front of them, made the Gaang to stop and look around. The village was full of corpses, blood, fire and smoke. It looked just like a battlefield.

"What happend here?" Asked Sokka, the confusion and shock present in his voice. He then glared at Katara and Toph, both of them terrified of what was around them.

Azula saw this before, during the war. She was used seeing this but, for some reason, the image of the children covered in blood made her to feel...sick. She looked at her brother, he didn't saw things like this before, but he heard about this kind of slaughter.

Zuko glanced up when he felt rain drops against his skin. He glared at his sister. She seemed terrified. Her eyes being teary.

The princess bent down when something caught her eyes. It was a red and blue piece of material with a symbol that represented a dragon. Zuko stared at it with wide eyes.

"Who could do this?" Aang asked clenching his fists

"The Samurai." Said Azula raising her head, looking at the Gaang.


	3. The Protectors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry for being late, I just started my first year at the University and it is a little new for me. I hope you are not mad at me:))))  
> Anyway, this chapter is not that great, I am not so proud of this chapter, sorry guys, I will try to do better from now on, but I hope you will enjoy it.  
> Songs you can listen to: The theory of everything: A Game of Croquet  
> The Theory of Everything: A Domestic Pressure (A very beautiful movie, you should watch it)

"W-What are you talking about?" Sokka was a little confused as he looked at Azula and Zuko. He heard about Samurai before, but just in stories.  
Zuko ignored his friend's question and approached the younger sibling, analyzing her expression. "Azula, are you sure?"  
The Princess frowned at her brother's words. Of course she was sure. She knew everything about Samurai, about their clothing, weapons, style of fighting, everything.  
"How do you explain this then?" She asked showing the piece of material to Zuko. Azula was right indeed, the model of the gold dragon being the proof. "The Samurai attacked this village."  
"What if the Samurai were the ones who lived here? I mean, this could happened too, right?" The annoying voice of the water bender made Azula to roll her eyes. Why did she always had something to say?  
She turned to face the girl with blue eyes. Azula's posture, expressions and eyes seemed to vibrate calmness, but her voice, destroyed this fake proud image of the Princess.  
"Samurai are savages. It has always been known that they will attack villages where fire benders live...in the end butchering them." Even if the last part of the sentence was a whisper, the hatred in her voice made the words louder. Beside this hatred that Katara could hear, there was something else, like sorrow, and she was right. Azula saw countless times victims of the Samurai, and every time she remembered about them, a feeling of guilt appeared. She was the Princess, but she wasn't there to protect her people. The water bender eyes went down at Azula's hand, and saw how she was clutching the piece of material in her fist. As soon as Azula realized where Katara's eyes went, she relaxed her hand. She needed to look strong, calculated, gathered, especially in front of this snow savage.  
Zuko was just gazing at the destroyed houses, trying to ignore the conflict between the girls. He turned around, with his back at his friends. Now, when he took a better look at this place, memories from the War started to appear on his mind. This destroyed village, was looking exactly like the ones from the war.  
Azula could see with the corner of her eye, that Zuko was in his own thoughts, far from the present, far from them. For some reason she wanted to ask him if he was alright, what was he thinking about, but Toph's voice saved her from the possible future mistake.  
"As far as I know, the history of your nation was changed, so that the bad people to be seen as good, and the good ones to be seen as bad." Toph said shrugging. Zuko heard what Toph said, so he turned too see how his sister reacted. The Fire Lord knew how attached Azula was to her own Nation.  
"What?" Asked Azula with a calm voice, but Zuko knew that she was started to get irritated, and if Toph or another of his friends will continue to talk about the Fire Nation, he knew that the Princess will not control herself.  
"What if we go to check for any survivors?" Said Zuko trying to distract the girls.  
Aang was the first one who agreed with Zuko's plan, so he nodded, followed by Katara and Toph. The single one who didn't even flinch was Sokka.  
Azula moved her gaze towards the Water Tribe warrior. He seemed lost in his thoughts. Even if she didn't know much about him, she knew one thing for sure, he was thinking at the Kyoshi girl. She knew that it is not wise to rely on people, one day you will suffer because of them, like the peasant in front of her. When the boy moved his eyes towards the Princess, Azula averted her gaze, pretending she was looking at the houses. What was the reason for her to do that? She didn't know.  
"Azula and I will check the black house." Said Zuko looking down to Azula to see if she had a problem to go with him, but the girl didn't even move so, it was a good sign? He wanted to believe this, but he knew that the reality was another. He knew that his sister had a hard time being near his friends. Zuko didn't knew much about his sister, but he just could feel it, she was not feeling well.  
When they wanted to head towards the house, Sokka's voice made them to stop, his words bringing shock on Azula and Zuko's face.  
"Actually...I want to go with Azula."  
Zuko looked at Sokka, then at Azula, then again at Sokka. "Why?"  
"Hey, I said I will give her another chance, right? I just try to get to know her, to build a friendship. You know how I am, a friendly person."  
"Right..." Zuko was still puzzled as Sokka walked past the royal siblings. The Princess looked up at her brother and then turned around walking away, without saying something else.  
"I think Sokka just want his ass to be hit by a lightning." Toph crossed her arms, smiling, and closing her eyes. Zuko was still a little confused, sighing at the view of his sister and Sokka. This will be an interesting trip.  
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Azula was walking behind Sokka, studying the boy. He looked different than the last time she saw him. He was much taller than her, her head barely reaching his shoulders, he was more muscular too. Now, when she thought about it, every single friend of Zuko changed a lot, they were taller, with strong bodies, even that little blind girl had the same height as the Princess. But she, she was almost at the same size like a few years ago, and her body wasn't as muscular as it was once, she was much skinnier, and this was a disadvantage. She knew that maybe, for the first time, she will be useless, her body was without energy and her mind was tired.  
The fact that the Princess bumped into something, made her to get out of her thoughts. She was so far away, running through her own mind that she didn't notice when Sokka stopped and turned around. When Azula started to realize what happen, she stepped back and looked up at Sokka. His eyes made her to feel very uncomfortable, and she didn't know why.  
"What now?" The annoyed ton in Azula's voice, made him to scratch his neck.  
"How should I ask this?" Now he put his hands on his face. Azula crossed her arms when her patience was closer and closer to the edge. Sokka finally lowered his hands, now looking down into Azula's eyes. Azula did the same with Sokka, looking into his eyes. This was the second time when she saw blue eyes that close, and she couldn't lie, they were beautiful. "Do you think that is something between your brother and Suki?"  
Sokka's question made the girl to blink for a few times, after she recollected herself, Azula looked at Sokka again. "This is why you wanted to come with me?" She tilted her head on the side, looking at him with a long and fake smile. "I think you have the wrong person." Azula just walked past him, but Sokka stopped her by grabbing her arm. This made Azula to stare at Sokka with a deep frown "I really want to know, Azula." She didn't know what made her to feel slightly bad for him, his sad eyes? or the despair in his voice?  
She sighed, pulling her arm out from his grip "I can't believe this." She still looked at him, he had the same pained expression. "I don't...think there is something between them." Why exactly did she has to lie about this? " I don't know her that well, but she seemed really happy to see you, but your paranoid mind made you think something else." She crossed her arms again. Azula suspected that something happened between the two, but for some reason she didn't want to tell him. Was it again because of his sad eyes, or because she didn't want to bring troubles to Zuko. She slapped herself mentally. What happen to her, why did she become so weak?  
"Really?" Sokka asked somehow hopeful but that feeling disappeared when he remembered that he was talking with Azula. He looked down at her, the Princess was not paying attention to him, she was looking down. Was she telling him the truth, or was she trying to give him hopes and then destroying them?  
Azula raised her head, glaring at the boy. He was looking at her, what caught her attention was something familiar, doubt. "You don't believe me." Of course he wouldn't believe her, why would he.  
Sokka wanted to say something, but the Princess left him behind. She stopped when the smoke from the house caught her eyes. The windows were broken, the door removed from the hinges and the blood scattered on the wall. Even though she left him behind, Sokka was the first to enter the house.  
The view shocked the both of them. A red armor was placed a little further away from them. Due to the long horns of the helmet, Azula knew what kind of armor this was. Samurai.  
The princess looked down and saw a man who was lying with his face down and with his hand directed towards the armor. She just didn't understand, why was this armor here, if the Samurai were the ones that attacked the village? The single explication was if...Her eyes were wide open when she realized.  
Sokka's voice drove her thoughts away. "I don't think that the Samurai are the bad guys this time."  
"I am pretty sure they did something horrible to get attacked." The doubt was heard by Sokka, so he looked down at the Princess. Her eyebrows were twitching, like she was trying not to cry.  
"Maybe, but maybe not." He whispered.  
Both of them stared at the man without saying a word for a few moments. It was like they mourned him in silence. She knew that Sokka was right, but she didn't want to acknowledge it. The Samurai were the ones who attacked. This is what she wanted to believe.  
After a few moments of silence, Azula turned around to see if there was something else important. She looked up, on the wall, when a painting made her to skip a few heart beats. It was a dragon, a grey dragon. It looked somehow familiar, she narrowed her eyes trying to remember something. A blurry image of the same painting, appeared from nowhere, but that was all, nothing else.  
"Let's get out of here." Sokka said as he turned around to head to the door, while Azula was in the same place still looking at the familiar dragon. When she decided to give up on trying to remember anything, she looked at the man, one last time. The fact that this man died trying to save his home, his family, made Azula to feel strange, somehow sad? When she finally find the power to turn her back to the man, a tall silhouette awaited for her outside the house. Azula looked at boy for a few moments. She didn't expect for him to be still here, waiting for her. Sokka turned his gaze, looking at Azula. She had her eyes wide open, she seemed shocked. The reddish color of the sunset fell on her face, and even if he was a little too far from her, he could see how the sun light, made her brown eyes to look like honey.  
The Princess blinked a few times, trying to avoid Sokka's gaze. She moved a leg, then another, until she walked past him. He couldn't avoid the smell of flowers that Azula left behind her. The boy scratched the back of his neck and then followed the girl.  
The view around him was still disturbing. How can someone do something like this, and especially, why? Maybe he was too naive when he thought that things like this will end with the death of the war. How wrong was he. Now he was seeing what he hoped that he will never see again.  
He moved his eyes down, at the girl in front of him, and he felt a little guilty. Maybe she just told him the truth, or at least what she thought about the relationship between her brother and his girlfriend.  
"Azula." Sokka said with a soft voice, but the Princess didn't respond. "Thank you!" This time, she stopped in her tracks and turned around.  
"What?" Was everything she managed to say.  
"For what you've told me, about Suki."  
"Oh, yeah, whatever...I said that because I know that even if he liked your girlfriend, Zuko is too coward to listen to his heart, or at least his brain." The Princess crossed her arms, not looking at Sokka.  
"Right" Said Sokka smiling, glaring down at the Princess.  
"Why didn't you go with Zuko, after all he is your friend."  
"Oh, about that, I knew that even if there was something between your brother and Suki, he will not tell me." He said shrugging.  
The Princess looked at the boy, he was right, Zuko was stupid, but not that stupid. Azula dropped her arms when her brother and Toph made their appearance.  
"Did you find something?" Asked the older brother gazing down at Azula then at Sokka.  
Azula opened her mouth wanting to respond but Sokka did it before her. This made her to throw a dangerous look at the boy, but he didn't pay attention to her. "Yeah, we find an armor that belonged to a Samurai."  
"We too, two of them." Said Toph.  
The last two people, Katara and Aang approached the group, with a katana in their hands.  
"Guys, look what we found." Aang showed the item to his friends.  
Azula stepped forward and took the weapon from the Avatar's hands, in this whole time on Katara's face was a deep frown. The girl took off the Saya and take a look at the blade. There was carved out the same grey dragon that she saw earlier. Azula touched the dragon with her fingers, her eyes seemed to be in another world as she was admiring the weapon. The moment she touched the blade she remembered.  
She was little and back then innocent too. She recognized the long, red corridor. It was morning and that corridor was bathing in the sun light. She remembered something else, this time it was a smell, it was such a long time since she felt this smell that the nostalgia was starting to kick in and her eyes started to swim in her tears. The smell was from a pie, if she recognize it right, it was a cherry pie, this meant that it was her birthday. Every year on her birthday she will eat cherry pie, this until her dad started to realize how powerful she will become.  
Suddenly she entered in a room. It was pretty big, with many windows and flowers. In front of one of the windows, it was a desk. At that desk was her mother. The little Princess approached the woman wanting to see what she was doing. The girl grabbed her mother's sleeve, this making Ursa to look down. When she saw her daughter, a warm smile appeared on her lips. Ursa bent down and raised her daughter, putting Azula on her lap. The girl looked at her mother's hand and saw a brush, then looked on the desk and saw it. It was a painting with the same dragon. The memory ended when she felt how Ursa brushed her hair. It was the last time Azula saw her mother smiling at her and showing her affection.  
"I will take it." Said Azula still looking at the Katana.  
"You what?" Zuko asked confused. "Why?" The younger one just walked past him. "What are you going to do with it?" He continued to ask still confused by Azula's decision.  
"I want to know how to master a katana, so I will take it." Without other words she turned her back to the group and headed towards Appa.  
"Isn't enough that she can kill us with fire?" Sokka's questions made Zuko to sigh.  
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The night caught them a little far away from the burnt village. Standing at a campfire, the group of friends recounted what happen today, while Azula was sitting next to a tree, far from Zuko's friends.  
"So, tell us something about the Samurai." Said Sokka, placing his hands on his legs.  
"Yeah, tell us, I am really curious too." Katara showed interest too, so Zuko nodded slightly.  
"I don't know that much about them, the right person to talk to, is Azula, she knows everything about them..." He looked at his friends who didn't seem that willing to have a conversion with his sister.  
"But how she is not here, I will try to tell you everything I know. If I remember correctly, they existed even before the fire benders. It is believed that they were the first people who came and formed the Fire Nation, but it's just a myth." He stopped wanting to know if his friends were still curious, their expressions showed that they wanted to know more, so he continued. "The Samurai worshiped the Sun, it was like a God to them, so to be closer to 'him' they lived on top of the mountains. At the same time, they believed that the dragons were siblings of the Sun and they came here, in our world, to share the light and heat from their brother. They slowly became the protectors of the dragons. The war between Fire Nation and the Samurai, started when the fire benders started to kill the dragons. When the last known dragon was killed, the Samurai disappeared and nobody saw and hear about them again."  
"Woah, fire benders are truly psychos, huh?" Said Toph lying down. Zuko looked at her and nodded. She was right, his Nation was full of psychos, they killed their mentors, the creatures that taught them how to fire bend. He felt that with the each day passing, instead of starting to love his Nation, he started to find reasons to hate it.  
A little far from the campfire, was Azula. She was with a sketch book in her lap, drawing something. She narrowed her eyes, trying to see through the darkness. In the corner of the page the Princess scrawled the word "Honor".  
Her whole life she respected the Samurai. She admired the force when they fought, the courage when they did it and the honor with which they died. Since she was little she wanted to become a Samurai, but her father taught her about the history of fire benders and Samurai. So, she started to pretend that she hated them, to pretend that she saw them as enemies. Even now, when her father was locked up, she still needed to do so, she just couldn't betray her father, even though she knew what Ozai thinks or feels about her, she just couldn't do it, after all her father was the only person who was there, not for her, but around her.  
"I didn't know that you liked to draw."  
Azula didn't react, she knew who it was. Ursa sat down beside her, looking at her drawing, smiling. "I liked to draw too, it was my way to escape...from the life I had."  
"What are you doing here?" Even if her voice was calm, Ursa could feel the hate in it.  
"I just felt that you are lonely." The words of her mother brought tears in Azula's eyes. What hurted the most was that her mother was right, and even if she felt alone here, in this world, even if she felt like this, she couldn't let her mother to be a shoulder to cry on. "But how can you feel this way, when you have these people around you?" The sad ton in her mother's voice started to irritate Azula.  
Of course she wouldn't understand, no matter how many people were around her, she felt like she was in her own cage, alone.  
"I am not lonely." When she said this, a tear fall from her eyes, on the drawing.  
"Hey." A familiar voice made Ursa to disappear and to bring Azula back to reality.  
She flinched and closed her book. Before to turn to face her brother, she whipped her tears.  
When Zuko realized that his sister is not going to greet him back, he just sighed and sat next to her. He looked at his sister who hugged her knees and looked up at the Way of Tears.  
"Are you feeling lonely, right?" Azula glared at his brother who had his head up towards the dark sky. He moved his head down, to his sister. "I know how it is. I felt like this too." But he knew, that he had his uncle beside him, who helped him, his sister had no one, so he wanted to try to be here, for her.  
The laughter of his friends, caught his attention. The sight of them laughing brought a smile on Zuko's face, but it disappeared when he moved his eyes from the light that surrounded his friends to the darkness his sister was in.  
The boy layed on his back, eyeing the stars.  
"I think I will sleep here."  
"You what?" The force in her voice made Zuko to laugh.  
"Do you know how the Way of Tears formed?" The Fire Lord's question made Azula to rise an eyebrow. Zuko looked at his sister, to see if she was interested in his story, but she was looking at him, like she was waiting for him to start. "I heard that the Moon was in love with the Sun, so she travelled the entire Universe to find him but, with each day passing she started to lose the hope that she will se him again, so she cried and cried. Up there is that cold, that her tears froze, creating a white path. But, one day the Moon found the love of her life. She was happy, but the fire that surrounded him, stopped the Moon from getting closer to him, so she remained here, near us. Even though she is far from him, the Sun warms her with his love."  
The entire time Zuko told her the little story, Azula looked up at the sky, and she couldn't lie, the night sky seemed more beautiful now, this little story made her to feel like the things up there, were living things.  
"Who told you this?"  
"Mother." He knew right away that he did a mistake telling her about the person who told him this story. Azula's voice making him to feel more guilty.  
"Oh."  
"I am sorry Azula, I..."  
"Please tell me that you don't believe this stupid story..." The silence that came from Zuko made Azula to roll her eyes." Oh no, you are more stupid than I thought." Zuko frowned a little. "You know that the Way of Tears is a galaxy, right? Our galaxy. And the moon, was from the beginning beside earth."  
Zuko laughed at his sister, for the first time, he wasn't upset with the fact that she told him he was stupid. Maybe he was happy that his sister didn't get upset. Azula rised an eyebrow at his brother, and then she looked up at the sky again. Was it really how Zuko told her? Was the tale that her mother told him real? Even if she knew that this is stupid, for some reason she wanted to be real.  
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Sokka stared at the fire, listening the sound of crack coming from it. The light coming from the fire, made his eyes to sting. He blinked when he felt tears and a slight source of pain from his eyes. He was the single one awake. He wasn't able to sleep, his mind was constantly flying towards Suki. A memory with her smiling, made him to laugh slightly with his eyes closed. When he layed on his back, he opened his eyes, his smile vanishing when he remembered that he was an idiot. He was so upset, angry with himself. Sokka and Suki didn't had that many moments to spend together, and when the time finally came for the both of them to see each other, he decided to stay away, far from her, all of this because of his stupid jealousy. However, he just couldn't lie, he felt that Suki and Zuko have a closer friendship than they ever had, and even if he was ashamed to admit, it bothered him.  
Sokka sighed, deciding to chase the thought away and stood up to wrap a blanket around Katara and Toph. He looked up at Aand who was sleeping on Appa, he knew that the boy didn't need a blanket, but he knew who needed it. He looked at the tree surrounded by the darkness. He took another blankets and headed towards the royal siblings. He looked down at the two of them, sleeping now in front of him. Zuko was sleeping on a side, with his back at Azula and an arm under his head, while Azula was also with her back at her brother, but she was hugging herself, like she tried to protect herself from the cold. This was confirmed by the fact that she was shaking.  
The boy put a blanket around Zuko, then he turned to face Azula. Once he put the blanket he could notice how her face relaxed a bit.  
Sokka wanted to return to the campfire, but something caught his eyes. It was a book, next to Azula's bag, maybe she forgot to put it back? He crossed his fingers, thinking if it was a good idea to take a look. But if the Princess will find out, she will burn him alive. But what if there was wrote something about how she will kill them later? Yeah this sounded like something Azula would do. He looked back at his friends, and then at the two siblings, ensuring that everybody was sleeping, and nobody will see what he is about to do.  
He took the book and opened it. What was inside was not what he expected. He narrowed his eyes, trying to see better the drawings, but because of the darkness it was impossible. What he did was to step away from the dark and to come to a source of light from the moon. He looked up thanking mentally to Yue with a smile on his face. The smile disappeared when he focused again on the Azula's mysterious book. There was some drawings of a few landscapes, portraits, Katanas, Samurai and what surprised him the most, there was portraits of his friends. He needed to admit that she was pretty good, he didn't expect that Azula was that type of person who will express herself through art.  
The first portraits was Zuko, then Suki, and Ty Lee. When he turned another page, the word "Honor" caught his attention, he moved his eyes on the drawing. It was the armor that they saw today, and the man who was lying down in front of it.  
A question appeared in his mind. If she hated the Samurai that much, why did she draw them. He wanted to see more, but to his disappointment, there was nothing. He looked at the end of the book. There was something wrote on the page. All he saw was "Why do my father...". The fact that Azula moved and turned to the other side, scared Sokka. But to his luck, she didn't awake. He decided to put the book from where he took it. He looked down at Azula, for him, the Princess was always a complex girl but now, he started to think that she was somehow interesting. The boy turned around and let the two siblings alone, overall, it wasn't a good idea to play with fire.


	4. Short announcement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope it doesn't bother you

Hi everyone.  
I want to say that I am so thankful for all of your comments and appreciation for this "story" it mean A LOT to me.  
Another thing is that I will not post another chapter for a few weeks, about 2 or 3. My computer has a lot of problems, especially from when I started the University. I need to resolve this first and then I will post the chapter.  
I have the principal ideas written on a notebook, to be easier for me to detail these ideas.  
Thank you again for everything and stay tuned for the next chapter;))


End file.
